


Decode

by morganya



Category: Bandom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-01-07
Updated: 2012-01-07
Packaged: 2017-10-29 02:37:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/314904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/morganya/pseuds/morganya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The love story of two douchebags.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Decode

**Author's Note:**

> Written for untappedbeauty in the 2011 Bandomstuffsit exchange. Thanks to romanticalgirl for the beta job.

Gabe likes to keep an open door policy on the bus, at least for the other bands. The way he sees it, if any of the kids want to benefit from his wisdom, they can just wander over and have a session with him. It's pretty awesome.

He's on the internet in the back lounge, getting bored, when he hears someone crashing around in the kitchen area. He thinks Ryland and Victoria are back from shoe shopping and he hurries out so they can entertain him. Instead he finds Carden, leaning over the counter and eating the imported shortbread that Suarez forgot to put away.

Gabe stops and tilts his head, assessing the situation. Usually Carden only comes over to the bus with William. It takes a minute for Carden to notice Gabe staring at him. He blinks, his mouth full and his face guilty.

"Suarez will kill you for that," Gabe says pleasantly. "You need to learn to be sneakier."

Carden swallows before he answers. "I left five bucks on the counter. I think that should cover it."

"Not hardly," Gabe says. The cookies are already open so he helps himself to one. "Don't you have any snacks on your bus?"

"Siska says he'll piss in my bunk if I eat any more of his food," Carden says.

"Oh," Gabe says and eats another cookie. "How'd you know the passcode to get in?"

Carden taps his temple. "All up here. All of it."

"You're so full of shit," Gabe says. "Want to watch TV?"

Carden nods. Gabe takes another cookie for the road and then they go watch cartoons.

Gabe spots Suarez coming through the bus window sometime after the channel got stuck on Sherman and Mr. Peabody. Carden is obliviously watching the screen and doesn't see a thing.

"Yo," Gabe says out of the corner of his mouth. "You need to make a break for it. Suarez'll be here any minute and he'll probably notice all the shit missing."

"Uh-oh," Carden says. "Okay, bye." He heads for the door, nodding at Suarez as he passes, and then he's gone.

Gabe keeps watching TV. Somewhere behind him Suarez says in a kind of resigned misery, "Who the hell ate my shortbread?" Gabe pretends he doesn't understand the question.

*****

"I can't believe you've never played bloody knuckles," Carden says.

Gabe shrugs. They're backstage, still sweaty from the show, having a few drinks before the afterparty really gets going. Ryland is off in the corner trying to teach William how to do a Liverpool accent. He's not succeeding.

"It sounds like an asshole jock game to me," Gabe tells Carden. "I don't play like that."

"It's cool," Carden protests. "I can show you."

"No. You're gonna be an asshole about it."

"I'll be gentle," Carden says. "Real gentle."

Gabe grumbles. Carden holds his hands out at an angle, looking hopeful.

"Well, what do I do?" Gabe says.

"I'll let you get the first strike," Carden says. "I won't flinch or anything."

"This is fuckin' dumb," Gabe says, but he puts his hands up. "How do I –"

"Just pull back and hit me." Carden taps his first outstretched knuckle. "Right here."

"That's not your strumming hand, is it?" Gabe asks, and then hauls off. He's got shitty aim so he connects with half-air, half-knuckle, but Carden still winces gratifyingly.

"Gotcha!" Gabe says and waves his arms around in victory.

"Nah, man, two out of three, come on," Carden says. "And no flinching."

"I don't flinch," Gabe says, but when he sees Carden's arm pull back, he jerks in his chair. Carden giggles, the asshole. "That didn't count. I wasn't ready."

"Wasn't ready," Carden says mockingly, and Gabe grits his teeth and turns his fists out.

He expects Carden to really let him have it with those huge steam shovel hands, but he pulls back at the last minute, so that he just barely brushes against Gabe's skin, soft as a kiss. Gabe blinks.

"What was that pussy move?" he asks finally.

"Protecting you," Carden says and takes a swig of his beer. "You're delicate."

"You're a dick," Gabe says. "That one didn't count. I win by default."

Carden just shrugs and doesn't argue.

*****

It's really Gabe's own fault that his bike gets ruined; he's riding like an asshole in the venue parking lot, showing off for the fans gathered around the perimeter, and then he smacks right into a parked car. The car's fine, but his bike's totaled (frame cracked right in half). Gabe escapes with some minor road rash and a whole lot of bruised pride.

He should just junk the bike and get a new one, but buying things is hard on tour. He doesn't have the time to go scope out the best deals, so getting a new bike will have to wait until he's back home. He does his best to suck it up but after two days he has so much excess energy he thinks he's going to explode.

Luckily they have an off day at a hotel with a gym. When it comes down to either continuing to climb the walls or doing something productive, Gabe goes to use the elliptical. When he gets to the gym Carden is sitting in the corner lifting free weights. He puts down the dumbbell and waves his fingers at Gabe in hello.

Gabe gets on the elliptical and says, "Yo, what do you think you're doing? Emo kids aren't allowed to lift weights."

Carden looks sideways at him, picking the weight back up. "If that were true, someone would have told _me_."

"I think you're leading a secret life," Gabe says. "That rocker hair is just a decoy. You should be wearing Lacoste and Abercrombie all the time."

Carden rolls his eyes.

"How you wound up in an emo band, I just don't know."

" _You're_ on the bike there, Gabe."

"Yeah, because my real one's busted."

"If I can't lift weights, you can't ride a bike," Carden says, and smiles smugly.

"I'm not emo. I used to be emo and then I got better. You have no excuse."

"I just do this to be a dick," Carden says decisively. "No problem."

"Nobody works out just to be a dick. You're trying to impress somebody."

Carden almost drops the free weight. "What?"

"Oh fuck, dude. That's it, right? If you weren't trying to look all hot and sexy for someone else, you'd just be drinking beer and watching movies with Billvy. Who is it?"

"Fuck you," Carden mumbles. He's blushing.

"C'mon. Is it that little redhead who runs the merch booth?"

" _Nobody_."

"Blink once if it's a girl."

"This is stupid."

"Maybe it's a guy. Blink twice if it's a guy."

"Gabe –"

"I'm _open-minded_. I'll even be your yenta if you want me to."

For a second, he thinks Carden's about to give him a name, which is both surprising and somewhat gratifying. Carden isn't like William, who lets everyone know every emotion he has at the exact moment he has it; Carden has an elaborate system of silence. Gabe suspects that the only person ever to successfully crack the Carden code is William. Gabe raises his eyebrows expectantly at Carden.

Just when Gabe thinks Carden's about to break, he just as suddenly clamps his mouth shut and lowers his eyes. Gabe waits to see if he's going to change his mind. When he doesn't, Gabe just says, "Dude, you're hurting my feelings."

"Can't help it," Carden says.

"Just try to get by without my help. I bet you can't do it."

"Maybe, maybe not," Carden says, and they leave it at that.

*****

It's only natural that the afterparty travels over to the Cobra bus. Gabe spends forty minutes coaxing and cajoling and threatening to get everyone in place, and once he's managed to round up everyone, he doesn't know what to do with himself. At first he thought he could just drink a lot of Crown Royal and have a relatively chill night, but all that winds up doing is make him feel more crazy. He tries to deal with it by tackling everyone who comes into the lounge, but it doesn't seem to work.

He loses his shirt and shoes at some point during the night, and he's prevented from looking for them when William practically forces him down onto the lounge couch and tells him to settle down. Then he retreats to a corner of the room and starts texting, only pausing to give Gabe the I'm Very Disappointed In You Gabriel face whenever Gabe tries to get up. Gabe tries to make do by watching Carden watch Siska play 'Splosion Man.

"I still think two player would be better," Siska says.

"If you kill this guy, I'll give you twenty bucks," Carden says.

"Liar," Siska says, but explodes off the wall anyway.

"You make this jump and I'll give you fifty bucks."

"Keep your money to yourself," Siska says.

" _One hundred_ bucks," Carden says, and then loses interest. He leans over and pokes the sole of Gabe's foot. Gabe kicks his thigh, lightly.

"You are interrupting my video game," Siska tells Carden.

"Am not," Carden says and pokes Gabe again. Gabe makes a face and kicks him. Carden grabs his ankle.

"Fuck you, let go," Gabe says and squirms, almost losing his balance on the couch.

"Someone is going to get hurt," William warns from his place across the room.

Carden ignores both of them. He taps Gabe's big toe with his index finger. "This little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home…"

"Stop checking out my pedicure, you weirdo," Gabe says.

Carden shrugs. "This little piggy had roast beef…"

Gabe wraps his other leg around Carden's waist. Siska moves to the far end of the couch without looking away from the video game. Carden tries to twist away but Gabe manages to lock his legs around him and pull him sideways. Carden falls onto Gabe's stomach.

"Guys," William says, with what might be a hint of desperation. "Guys."

"What do you think you're doing?" Carden asks, his mouth pressed into Gabe's belly.

" _I'm_ just being an asshole, what are you doing?" Gabe says, and manages to pull both of them off the couch.

There isn't much room on the floor, so they just wind up rolling around for a while. William keeps repeating wearily, "Someone's going to get hurt." At one point the door opens and Ryland says, "What's happening in here?"

"Mike and Gabe are fighting," Siska says.

"Oh, okay then," Ryland says and shuts the door.

Carden has a massive amount of upper body strength. He manages to pin Gabe's shoulders back and looks down at him, smirking. Gabe says, "Wow, you really do need to get laid, huh? What do you want to do, fuck me or fight me? Be honest about yourself, asshole."

Carden reacts like he's grabbed onto a hot wire. He pulls back immediately, blood draining from his face, and for an awful second Gabe thinks he's going to get punched. William says, "Mike, don't, it's okay," but Carden's already getting up and bolting from the room. Gabe's still on the floor wondering what the hell just happened. Siska looks as baffled as Gabe feels.

Eventually Gabe gets up and watches Siska play the game some more, but it just isn't the same.

*****

Gabe's gotten used to Carden coming around and stealing their food, but Carden's got a bug up his ass about something and he doesn't come around anymore. He doesn't come to afterparties on the bus, either, or answer Gabe's texts, or anything. Gabe's not sure if he should be angry or hurt.

William comes over to ask Gabe's advice about lyrics, and after imparting his wisdom, Gabe says, "Yo, what's up with your shitty bandmate? He's acting like I've got a disease or something."

"That's not my place to say," William says.

"What do you mean, it's not your place? You live with him. And he's not talking to me so I can't ask him. Why can't you let me in it?"

"He's just trying to work some stuff out right now," William says.

"Is it because I was being a drunk asshole that night? He usually has more of a sense of humor than that."

"Gabe."

"Dude, I don't even know what I did."

"Well, you really _should_ have some idea," William says.

"This whole thing is so fuckin' convoluted I can't stand it. Usually if I fuck up, I know exactly what I'm fucking up. Carden never gives me any idea."

"He's really embarrassed, Gabe. He's doing this whole ignore it and it'll go away thing."

"I thought he only did that with you."

"No, what he does with me is either ignore it or completely lose his shit. You're different."

"Why?"

William opens his mouth, then closes it again. Finally he says, "Well, you just are."

"I should talk to him," Gabe says. "If he's going to sulk, he should tell me what he's sulking about."

"He's _upset_ , actually," William says in a warning tone.

"Well, I can't just let him stew there."

"Don't tell him I said anything. I promised I wouldn't."

"You offend me, Billvy."

"I promised him, Gabe. I already feel like a bad friend. If you say anything he'll feel even worse than he does now."

"I may be an asshole, Bill, but I'm not that kind of asshole."

*****

The situation requires a degree of delicacy that Gabe doesn't ordinarily use. He mulls it over for a while and then tromps over to the Academy's bus when they finally get an off day. He makes as much noise as he possibly can coming in the door, yelling, "Yo, anybody here?"

Carden is sitting in the front lounge tuning his guitar. He starts a little and looks up at Gabe, then looks around for escape routes.

"Thank God you're here," Gabe says. "I'm bored as fuck. Hey, why have you been avoiding me? You think I don't shower?"

"I haven't been," Carden mumbles finally.

"Bullshit. But I'm here now and I'm bored, so come get Taco Bell with me."

Carden very slowly puts the guitar down. "Billvy talked to you, didn't he?"

Apparently Gabe's delicacy skills could use some improvement. "Uh."

He can see Carden mentally formulating murder plans. "Mike, c'mon. Don't get upset. He didn't mean to talk to me. I practically dragged it out of him because I just didn't know what was going on."

"What'd he say?"

"That I pissed you off."

"Is that all?"

"What else is there?"

Carden takes a deep breath. "I don't know," he says finally.

There's something here that Gabe's not getting. "Come get Taco Bell," he says. "You talk and I'll listen."

Carden follows him. Gabe pays for his seven layer burrito and crunchwrap and very deliberately keeps his mouth shut. Sometimes that's the best way to deal with Carden.

There's no picnic area, so they wind up sitting on the side of the road behind the building. Carden waits until Gabe's halfway through his bean and cheese before he says, "What did Bill tell you, really?"

Gabe doesn't have the patience for this anymore. "I don't know, Mike, what wasn't he supposed to tell me?"

Carden crumples up the Taco Bell bag and then uncrumples it. "I know I overreacted."

"Duh."

"I just didn't know how to get over it."

"Dude, you could have just said I was being a dick and we could have just let it go."

"But it wasn't just – the whole thing meant more than that. When you asked if I wanted to – it meant more. I didn't think you'd understand that."

"What the fuck am I supposed to understand, Carden?"

Carden drops the bag. "So you said be honest. This is me being honest. Finally. So if I asked if maybe we could go get dinner or something, would that be cool?" He looks at the ground for a long time before he says, "Or would you think I was just a stupid kid with a crush?"

Gabe finally gets it.

"Dude, Mike, how long were you going to leave me hanging? I thought we were just being bros."

Carden shrugs. "Bill says I should have let him talk to you about it. I suck at this."

"Well, I'm a dick about a lot of things, Carden, but this isn't one of them. If you're honest with me, I'll be honest with you."

"So, what? Because if you're going to call me an idiot, I can take it."

"My dad always told me not to kiss idiots, so –" Gabe leans across and grabs Carden's shoulders to pull him in. Carden lets out a surprised, happy, "Mmph," and they roll around on the grass on the side of the road behind the Taco Bell for a while.

When they finally stop Carden is lying on top of him. Cars are driving by and honking at them.

"You taste like hot sauce," Carden tells him.

"Yeah, because I'm so goddamn hot," Gabe says. Carden doesn't argue.

*****

Not much changes for the most part. Carden still comes over to steal food and pull Gabe's pigtails, and Gabe still calls him a dick. The only difference is that now Gabe has Carden to pull him into his lap at crowded parties and talk to him on nights when he can't sleep, someone to keep him from going too crazy but still willing to be a partner in crime, strong arms and a goofy smile.

It's pretty awesome.


End file.
